The Dance IS A Weapon
by The Princess Maker
Summary: Before sacrificing himself to reactivate the Well of AllSparks, Optimus confesses a secret: there is another human who knows of their existence...who has left a lasting impact on him personally. Set in the Prime/Beast Hunters series.
1. Unexpected Story Time with Optimus Prime

**Hello, fellow readers!****! Here is my latest venture, this time into the _Transformers _franchise! **

**Despite the seriousness, I hope to make this funny as well and I hope you enjoy! **

**Please keep in mind that****:**

**I do not own ANY part of the **_**Transformers **_**franchise **

**I do not own the **_**REAL LIFE **_**person also starring in this fanfic**

**I do not own this fanfic's icon picture**

**I DO own the plot, which is taken from a subject I wrote an essay on (more on that next chapter!)**

* * *

The Dance IS A Weapon

Chapter One: Unexpected Story Time with Optimus Prime

The Autobots did it.

After what seemed like countless ages of warfare, the Autobots had successfully managed to reclaim their home planet of Cybertron. Not only that, they ALSO successfully stopped Unicron from permanently destroying the planet too. It seemed like everything was _finally _headed in the right direction...

...except what Optimus hadn't _told_ everyone yet was that to stop Unicron, he had emptied the AllSpark into the Matrix of Leadership. But if you knew Optimus, you would know that the necessary sacrifice he had to make didn't faze him all that much (even though he was _dreading _having to reveal this to the rest of his team).

The vessel on the table next to him shined brightly, which only made Optimus roll his eyes and turn his back to it. _Should've realized this would hamper my recharge, _he thought glumly.

After the battle was over, he told everyone that they should rest until the following day and decide where they would go from there. This was promptly agreed upon in the forms of Bulkhead and Smokescreen collapsing from exhaustion and having to be half-dragged back into one of the recharge rooms on the _Nemesis_. Optimus had volunteered to watch over the vessel, but he found that he much regretted that as he woke up every other hour or so just to make sure nothing had changed about it and that it was still there exactly as he left it, etc.

Shortly before the sun came up, he finally gave up.

Even though there was an evil god in a jar right behind him and Optimus was dreading having to tell everyone he won't be around much longer, there was something else weighing on his mind. Shifting, he felt the sensation moving in his chest plates (his human friends would probably call it 'tickling'). Upon opening them, the contents spilled out - which made Optimus finch, fearing someone might've been awoken by it.

No one did and Optimus began to sort through them. It would surprise everyone to know that most of the contents were actually _paper_, although he did have a personal holodisk with more. He put the papers back in order but paused before pulling one out from the pile.

It was his favorite picture, though it was obviously a formal portrait and in no way was like the time he met her at all. The subject in question was of a female human, dark-skinned and hair that Optimus believed was more like fuzz instead of real hair. Because it was a formal portrait the woman was dressed in more appropriate clothing but her smile was the most familiar to him.

Optimus smiled back but felt sadness creeping up inside him - he gently rubbed the woman's face. _Forgive me, I will be there. Soon. And then you may teach me in peace. I only hope you forgive me...Mother. _

"Who's that?" Optimus jumped up, startled, dropping his pile again but it was only Bumblebee, who looked just as surprised as he did.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Bumblebee, I...didn't hear you come here." He cleared his throat. "And I'm still getting used to you having a voice again."

"Eh, no worries. I almost started beeping at Arcee before I went to recharge!" He snickered. "Let me help..."

The two started gathering up the papers (Optimus a little more quicker) but it wasn't long before Bumblebee started asking questions.

"Are all these of the same human?"

"Yes, they are-"

"What, is she _flying_ in this one?"

"No, she's dancing -"

"Who is she?"

If Optimus was being completely honest with himself, he was hoping he would **never **have to tell anyone about the female dancer, because he wasn't sure when or even how to start _that _conversation. Maybe it was a good thing that Bumblebee stumbled upon him when he did.

"I can't tell you, yet." And before Bee could protest, he added "Is everyone else up?"

"I heard Ratchet get up and I'm pretty sure I heard Knock-Out talking to someone, I think it was Bulkhead."

"Would you ask everyone to come outside? There are some things I need to discuss and I want all of you to be there."

"Is this about that lady?"

"...Yes and no."

(_As Bumblebee was gathering everyone, Optimus made his way to the entrance of the Well with his_ _pile_.)

(_He considered putting them back in his chest plates before thinking better of it and placing them under his foot. Before doing so, he muttered an apology._)

Just as Optimus expected, no one took the news of him having to die well. But there was no other way around it and there was a tense quiet as the team came to this silent conclusion.

"Before I take my leave of you, I must confess something." Optimus said, bending over to retrieve the pictures as everyone started to wonder what he would possibly have to confess. Bumblebee couldn't confirm which was worse: that Optimus did something really bad or admitting something really, _really _personal.

"This is another human who knows of our existence. She is a famous dancer...but to me personally, she has an even more important title."

"What?" Ratchet asked after a moment.

Optimus looked away briefly. Turning back, he said "That of my _Mother_. And I know all of you will think the same by the time I finish."

* * *

**Oooooo, Optimus has someone he considers his mother? Who is she? We'll find out in the next chapter!**

**Reviews are and will be GREATLY appreciated here, because I want to write more within the _Transformers _franchise and I hope the characters are to (most) people's liking!**

**In our next chapter, Optimus tells the group of his encounter with this dancing human!**

**Staaaay tuned...**


	2. The Encounter Part One

**This seriously didn't mean to take this long, and in fact, I think I'm gonna make this chapter Part One - so we'll all have a longer encounter with the woman Optimus Prime believes is his mother, and really, who doesn't want a bit of a longer story? XD**

**I'm glad I have some people interested in this so far, but please know that if I read anything demeaning about the person Optimus is talking about, I WILL delete it. **

**This is REAL LIFE person, with a home and family, after all.**

**Anyway, time for Chapter Two...**

* * *

Chapter Two: The Encounter Part One - The Non-Martian Martian

(_The Deep South, U.S., summer 1944. It's sunset and a 1941 Chevy Pickup Truck with cola crates in the back rides down the road._)

If you're from a place that's as technologically advanced as Cybertron, coming to Earth in the mid-1940s must seem like a **_massively _**_**painful **_step backward.

Autobots - and, as Optimus would later learn, Decepticons - were having trouble adjusting to their new alt-modes: Starscream fell out of the air twice, Knock-Out once over judged his speed and ended up in a muddy ditch, and EVERYONE was having problems adjusting to (in their opinion) 'flimsy' communications.

Other than tech problems, most of the Autobots didn't think Earth was too bad of a place - it certainly had a lot of interesting things to look at. And humans, they eventually figured out, were quite brilliant despite not being as technologically advanced (though Optimus admired their personalities more).

But with all the good traits the Autobots learned about humans, there were also bad traits. One that stuck out the most was that some humans would not treat other humans equally, because they had a different skin color than their own. It didn't take long to figure out it was usually between humans who were apparently white-skinned and those who were apparently black-skinned (which confused Optimus and his friends so much as the others' skins were clearly _brown _in color but ultimately didn't dwell on that for very long).

It was just Optimus's luck that he was going through the worst places of this particular country for the black-skinned humans to be in. He had heard stories - real awful ones - about how some of these humans were killed. A few Autobots had the misfortune of coming across the aftermath. And that was all they could do, as Optimus gave out orders NOT to interact with humans unless they were in imminent danger from the Decepticons.

Optimus was on the side of the road, wishing he picked a different vehicle than the one he had - particularly one that DIDN'T have any cold liquid on board (**1**). He had taken a short stop on the patrol and was resting down the road from where mostly dark-skinned humans were picking things they would later eat. He was about to start his engine but out of his mirror saw a woman walk down the road. Electing to let her go pass she took not much notice of him. She was soon out of sight and he counted to twenty before activating his hologram driver and driving on.

As he got up the small hill and near to the outskirts of the town, he slowed down as he happened to spot a group of humans in the distance. Turning on his lights he saw that it was a group of male humans and was surprised to find the dark-skinned female a little ways ahead of them. And as Optimus got closer, he heard what he felt for sure were insults directed towards the woman's appearance. He felt himself getting steadily more angry. And then one male grabbed the woman's arm.

_HOOONNNNK!_

Before he was even aware of what he was doing, Optimus had laid on his horn as hard and as loud as he could and screeched forward. Opening the side door he said "Get in," to the woman but there wasn't much need to - she all but fell into the seat. Closing the door, he sped off as fast (and as safely) as he could.

"*Whew wee*!" the woman exclaimed as she adjusted herself. "I'm sure glad you came along, mister -" Unfortunately for Optimus, this is when he realized he hadn't turned off his hologram driver...

...so he _wasn't_ entirely surprised that the lady not only sat bold-upright and screamed but also starting whacking her purse in all directions. She had smacked the radio so, deciding he was far enough from others, attempted to communicate.

"There's no - OW! - need - *SMACK* - for hitting!" was all Optimus could force out. That seemed to do the trick, because she stopped and looked towards the radio.

"You're...in, there? The radio?"

"And the steering wheel, and the engine, and everything else this truck is."

The woman just stared at the radio, eyes rolling around trying to piece the information together. She started to fiddle with the dial, saying "Did I derail some sort of...weapons testing? Are you a government agent?"

"Please stop *static* _messing with_ *more static* _the radio_!" She did and Optimus took a breath. "I am not a government agent, from here or anywhere else on this planet; I don't COME from this planet. I HAVE weapons but was not built specifically for that purpose."

"But...if you're not from this planet, then..." her eyes widened slightly again and said "Then you're an alien! I mean, like an _actual_ extra-terrestrial - are you from Mars? 'Cause if you are, you've come at a bad time to conquer Earth." (**2**)

"I am NOT a martin -"

"Martian."

"Right, that, I am not that. I am an autonomous robotic organism from a planet named Cybertron, and I am _not_ here to conquer anyone or anything -" Optimus groaned in his head, knowing, per rules, that he would be required to give the woman a small speech about who he and his friends were and why they were there, etc.

But he decided to start with the basics. "My name is Optimus. Optimus Prime."

"That sounds like an extremely fitting name for you, Optimist."

"Uh, it's Optimus. O-P-T-I-M-U-S. Although *ahem* you're not the first who's thought that...What is your name?"

"My name is Pearl Primus. And despite the pronunciation, it is spelled P-R-I-M-U-S."

_SCRRRREEEEECH!_

* * *

**Ohhhhhhh, Optimus broke his own rule but has saved Pearl from a potentially dangerous situation! **

**#1: After looking up trucks from the mid-1940s, I settled on a 1941 Chevy pickup. I found a little toy model with Pepsi-Cola boxes in the back :D  
**

**#2: Referring to H.G. Wells's famous _The War of the Worlds_. The panic-inducing radio broadcast was in 1938, nearly six years before this story took place.**

**Optimus's line about robotic organisms comes from many places but I heard it on the first _Transformers Prime _episode "Darkness Rising, Part One". (Thank you, Transformers Wiki!)**

**Although I wish that you would wait until the story is finished, I won't be mad if you looked up Pearl Primus first if you wanted :D Oh, and I know I said I was gonna explain more last chapter but since I'm spitting this into two parts, it'll be next chapter!  
**

**Staaaaay tuned...**


	3. The Encounter Part Two

***I do try to keep most of my personal business to myself, but if I may, please send your good thoughts/prayers to my grandma. She's been goin' through a rough patch these past nearly four months and it's making her rather blue. I know she'd appreciate well-wishes!*  
**

**When we last left off, we've learned that Optimus's new ride along has a last name that is, for lack of a better description, **_**eerily **_**familiar. **

**Let's continue, as Optimus tells us the rest of his story…..**

* * *

(_Bulkhead spat out the Energon he was drinking all over Wheeljack's back. He promptly apologizes and starts to clean it as the others - except the recovering Ultra Magnus, who looks on with equal shock from his bed - start to crowd closer to Optimus and hurl questions at him._)

_WHAT did she say her name was, WHY is her name that way, WHAT does it mean, etc., etc., etc.? _

(_Finally Optimus throws his hands up for quiet and everyone stops._)

OPTIMUS: "Yes, this was my first reaction too, even though I kicked myself for it immediately after..."

(_As he's explaining, he pulls up the title card as we proceed to dissolve back into flashback._)

Chapter Three: The Encounter Part Two - Pearl's Weapon

Most people didn't wear seat belts back then, Optimus would later learn.

Between trying to figure out how she ended up in the driver's seat (causing the hologram to dissipate), and what mentioning her name did to unnerve her rescuer, Pearl asked "What, did I say the secret code word?"

Snapping out of his shock, Optimus proceeded to mentally kick himself for giving such a dead giveaway. "No, that's...not it. I'm sorry."

He started driving again. "_Primus _is the name of my Creator and those of my kind."

"'Your kind'? A race of shape-shifting robots who turn into motor vehicles?"

"Yes, although we are _more _than conventional mechanical beings and there's more than just cars we can turn into." Seeing this as a good lead-in, Optimus prepared to start his 'speech'. "Do you see the symbol on my steering wheel?"

Squinting, Pearl looked closer. "Is this what you look like, Optimus?"

"No. This is the emblem of the group that I am the leader of - the _Autobots_. Anyone with this emblem is part of my team."

"What would you be doin' here? On _Earth_, of all planets? It sounds like we're a far cry away from any of your technology!"

Optimus sighed softly. "Miss Primus -"

"Please, call me Pearl."

"Right. Pearl. Your earlier claim about an invasion from 'aliens' such as myself isn't entirely unfounded." He caught her eyes widening and a small frown appear. "There's another group of my kind here who _do _wish to conquer your world. They are known as _Decepticons_; they have an emblem too except in purple."

He noticed her eyes go as wide as saucers with surprise and then (of course) fear mixed with anger (**1**). "Why?" she finally asked.

"Our world was running out of resources and our governing system caused inequality between us Cybertronians. At the beginning, I fought this with someone I called my brother - Megatron."

"Let me guess: He's now your archenemy."

The accuracy of her statement made Optimus wince. "Yes...Now our home world is a wasteland and we bots are scattered throughout the universe. And that is why I am here, Pearl Primus."

"Well, don't worry - if I see this Megatron or any of his cohorts, I'll be absolutely sure to let the authorities know."

"_No, you must not._" Optimus stated firmly. "Such a thing would only endanger you _more_. Knowing there were beings from another planet would only throw your planet into even more chaos; you would be defenseless against the weapons each side possesses. You were outnumbered from those humans back there - "

"I carry a knife - " (**2**)

"Which wouldn't _get_ you anywhere if you were faced with a Decepticon." Optimus didn't mean to stomp on what he thought was her courage but he had his experiences and a desire to keep humanity OUT of the war between the Cybertronians. There was an uncomfortable silence, and he became worried that he'd blown his chance to make another human ally.

"How were you 'unequal'?" she asked.

"...We were a caste system, on our planet. Each of us were assigned a position at, er, our birth. There would be no deviating from your position too; lower castes weren't even given names." And at Pearl's jaw dropping he added "And that's not even counting the views of fliers on ground-pounders and vice-versa."

"Has anyone tried to convince you you deserve respect? _Without_ fighting?"

Optimus had to think about that. "Most didn't get every far. Our differences at that point were too large to overcome."

"Really." The tone of her voice startled him. "Are you not all made by the same creator? Who evidently shares the same surname spelling as me? And does your race not all share the same transforming powers? Yet you believe your differences are too large to overcome without actual fighting."

"How would _you _do it? You're of a darker skin and are a femme - I mean, female. How would you get other humans to listen?"

"By dance." she said with a smile.

It took a _lot_ of effort for Optimus Prime not to slam on his brakes from surprise and/or start laughing. Bitterly. _How ludicrous! _"DANCING? All this strife and you think entertainment wou-"

"I do not dance for _entertainment_, Optimus Prime," she cut in. "I dance to show pain, emotion, _humanity_, because it can be just as much a weapon as, as...whatever weapons you all might have, forgive me but I'd rather not know what those are!"

Optimus wasn't sure how to feel about Pearl's assertion. It sounded too similar to Velocitron for his comfort (**3**). Still, he was curious enough to ask how.

"I could show one person we of different races have the same thoughts and feelings. _That _is how my weapon works. Maybe I should teach you how to dance, Optimus." she said with a smile.

"I'm afraid I would be too big for your class...I do not believe I have proper physicality. And I am afraid my battles with the Decepticons take priority." As he said this, he saw that they were approaching the town Pearl was staying in.

He drove near her quarters, but as she got out he said "Pearl, I will come find you when my battles are over. I promise."

"Of course you will!" she laughed. "I have to show you just what I mean!"

She waved slightly and headed back in, as Optimus drove off into the night...

* * *

**That didn't go as I expected but whatever! :D **

**#1: A trait friends use to describe Pearl Primus when she's angry. I used it here because who wouldn't be mad about aliens invading your plant?**

**#2: A story told by Pearl and other family members. Both this and the above can be found in the book _The Dance Claimed Me: A Biography of Pearl Primus _by Peggy and Murray Schwartz. **

**#3: From the novel _Transformers: Exiles _by Alex Irvine. **

**I first learned about Pearl in a Black Dance class I took at my university and I'm not kidding, I pronouced her last name as the _Transformers_ character for at least two weeks after (I even mentioned the similarity in my essay!) XD **

**In our next chapter, Optimus concludes his story and prepares to reactivate the Well and Pearl's fate is revealed!**

**Staaaaay tuned...**


	4. MY Omowale

**HELLO, READERS! School is out and I am getting back to finish this FINAL CHAPTER! (Whaaaaa-?!) And there's a new story avatar too and guess what? It's the photo of Pearl Optimus likes the most (NOT mine, of course!). ****As for my grandmother, she is doing _MUCH _better now! (Definitely a stress-reliever!)  
**

**Where we last left off, Optimus had successfully brought Pearl back to her dwelling and learned that she uses _dancing _to unite people (much to his confusion). **

**Now Optimus ends his tale and prepares to sacrifice himself, but what has become of Pearl?**

* * *

_She got out of me and said "I have to show you just what I mean!"_

_Then she waved and headed back in as I started to drive back to base..._

(_Scene dissolves to present day. Optimus is now sitting on the rock, his collection of photos spread in front of the team in a partial circle. Excepting Ultra Magnus, the rest of the team are sitting on the ground occasionally picking up one of the photos._)

Chapter Four: _My_ Omowale

"I haven't seen her since." Optimus concluded. He was quite relieved that he was only interrupted once, in the spot he most expected, and nowhere else.

It also helped that his team were interested in the pictures he'd collected about her in secret over the years.

"What happened next?" Ratchet asked quietly.

"A few cycles after our meeting, I read that she had went to Africa but over time it got more difficult to keep up with her and still keep it secret. Last I heard she was going to Barbados..." Optimus trailed off, unsure how to properly end his tale. (**1**)

There was a long silence, the rest of the team finished looking at the various pictures of Pearl.

"Wish I could jump like this!" Smokescreen commented excitedly. "Knowing me, I'd break something."

"Have you ever tried it out?" Knock Out asked. "Dancing?"

_Oh, this is going stink..._"Yes."

Optimus wasn't sure what would happen to him after emptying the Matrix, but he was confident that he would _never _forget the totally bewildered faces his friends gave him. It was...uncomfortable, if he was being honest.

"And?" Bulkhead finally asked.

"And, it went about as well as I expected."

_I was right about me not having the right frame for it - nearly wore out both my arms and fell flat on my face. _

He shrugged. "I'm not cut out to be a dancer."

"There's still time to learn!" Bumblebee had jumped up slightly and touched Optimus's hand. "We can go back to Earth, find her and get you that dancing lesson!"

"But the Well -"

"The Well has been inactive for ages," Ratchet cut in. "and, in spite of everything, I don't believe it won't do any harm to leave it for _a little longer _-"

Optimus moved out of Bee's touch. "Sir...?" Bee asked.

"I'm afraid...that's...not going to be happening. Anymore." Before anyone could ask, Optimus activated his holodisk and brought up the heading to _that _one article he always avoided. (**2**)

_Pearl Primus Is Dead at 74; A Pioneer of Modern Dance_

He was thankful that the light from the disk kept him from seeing his friends' reactions, even Magnus (who couldn't see from his distance but probably didn't require any verbal explanation anyway). Slowly he shut it off.

"The day I found this..."

_I excused myself from the base, drove to the most desolate area my addled helm could come up with...and had what the humans would call 'a total freakout' moment. I screamed, paced, beat the ground, and eventually found myself laying there thinking that I had failed. I didn't keep my promise and more shamefully, I _STILL _had not figured out what she was trying to tell me..._

"That is until my optics went clear long enough for me to see _this_." Optimus turned his disk back on and switched to a small section of another article, and though the resolution wasn't entirely the best everyone found it because it was highlighted: (**3**)

_"I'm learning to deliberately reach beyond the color of the skin and go into people's souls and hearts and search out that part of them, black or white, which is common to all." _

_That _finally _made me realize her efforts to unite people wasn't all too different from us._

_And that's the story of my mother. _

"It's time." Optimus stood up and pulled out an envelope. "Would you all do one last request for me?"_  
_

(_Optimus hands over the envelope to Arcee and Magnus asks to read it. After much finessing and accidentally ripping it in half, she manages to line it up and Magnus starts to read. __However, he doesn't get very far as Optimus proceeded to begin his descent into the Well. No one is surprised, and Bumblebee notices a photo is missing._)

Optimus was thankful no one could see him slowing down as doubts started creeping in. _What if this doesn't work? Then what do we do? Will it hurt? _

He looked at the photo of the woman he called his mother. He thought about what doubts she - and indeed, every being he became friends with - must've felt but kept on going anyway. His hand slowly closed around the picture.

"Alright, Mother, here we go..." he muttered softly as he flew into the Core. Still, he decided to show a _little _bit of his fears - he shut his eyes...

(_Moments later_)

There was indescribable joy as Team Prime watched the explosion of new sparks burst forth from the Well. Even more so when one particularly bright red spark flew over towards them.

"Optimus, is it you!?" Bumblebee called up. The bright spark twirled back and forth, giving off a transparent outline of Optimus.

Soon he was joined by another spark. To everyone's, included Optimus's, surprise, it materialized into Pearl!

"Mother...?"

"I didn't choose these colors just because of patriotism," she giggled, jokingly wagging her finger at him. "And if you're gonna call me anything, you call me _Mna_. Its pronounced 'ma' and it means 'mother who did not birth you'." Her face softened. "I missed you, Optimus." (**4**)

Optimus did something then that he didn't do very often. He jumped over and HUGGED Pearl, who was taken off-guard but not for too long.

"Now I'd love to bring your friends," Pearl said, looking towards the group. "But I owe someone a long overdue dance lesson."

Team Prime would say that Optimus happily held her hand and the pair proceeded on their way, but not before he turned to wave goodbye. No matter where they went now, the group was certain they would be together, not just as friends but as mother and son.

* * *

***Whew* There is my happy sad end to the story! I hope you all liked it somewhat!**

**#1: Pearl Primus took her first trip to Barbados in August 1984. (_The Transformers _cartoon first aired that same year!) **

**#2: From the New York Times, Halloween 1994. Pearl died two days prior. _Predacons Rising_, the series finale to Prime/Beast Hunters, aired on October fourth, 2013, almost twenty years later. (Thank you, Tranformers Wiki!)  
**

**#3: A quote from Pearl Primus found in L.F. Emery's "Black Dance Pioneers: 1920-1950". **

**#4: One of many names she was given. _Mna_ comes from the Efik language of Kalabar, Nigeria. _Omowale _was given to her by the Oni and the Ife in Nigeria, meaning 'the child who has returned home'. (Thanks, Wikipedia and biography book!)  
**

**Pearl's choice of colors is my idea, from seeing colored photographs from the NY Public Library's digital collections. She was performing _Hard Time Blues_. **

**Much of the details in this story come from Pearl's life, including the story title. It is the motto of the New Dance Group, the first place Pearl started dancing. **

**I hope you enjoyed this! Stayed tuned for _Primus, meet Primus _if you wish to have another adventure with Optimus and his Mna (for a preview, head to Bladequeen2000's forum Interviews with Primus!)**

**Thanks for stopping by!**


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